


Otherworldly

by PoeFan4Life



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel's like an older brother, F/M, Flirtatious Crowley, Love Triangles, OFC must choose between Sam and Dean, POV First Person Multiple, Protective Castiel, Protective Dean Winchester, Protective Father, Protective Sam Winchester, protective older brother
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 09:08:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11597490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoeFan4Life/pseuds/PoeFan4Life
Summary: My first official fanfic.  Based off of the TV show "Supernatural."  (This story's timeline is somewhat different to that of the show's.  Certain events that take place in season 6 happen later in this story, and other events that take place in season 7 happen earlier in this story, etc.)Zylphia Byrne travels across the Atlantic ocean with her father (Aengus) and her older brother (Carney) to North America to track down the vampire that killed her mother.  The vampire's last known location: Portland, Oregon.  And lucky for the Byrne family, Aengus already has contacts in the Americas.  His particular favorite - Bobby Singer.  He points them in the direction of some people who may be able to help.  Among them: Sam and Dean Winchester.So, with the help of the Winchesters, their awkward Angel-friend Cas and Bobby, they find their vampire.  But what will happen to the Byrnes in the process?  What will happen to Zylphia after they 'gank' their vampire and the Winchesters and Cas find out what she is?





	1. Always a Dull Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Starts off kind of slow, but it'll get better.  
> This is my first fanfic ever. Feedback is appreciated. :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Byrnes just get into Portland and speak with Bobby, seeking help. Who's he going to send their way?

~Then~

My head bobbed forward, snapping me awake once again. I slowly opened my heavy eyelids and blinked a few times before turning to look at Dad. He gave me a knowing smile.  
"Trouble sleeping again?" he asked needlessly.  
I pushed myself up in my seat and tried to rub the tired out of my eyes. "Are we almost there?" I asked quietly.  
"About ten more minutes," he said, "Do me a favor and wake your brother up."  
I smirked as I turned in my seat to look back at Carney, sleeping away as if nothing were wrong. I took a deep breath before bringing my fist down on his thigh as hard as I could. He immediately jolted awake and glared at me.  
"What the hell are you doing?" he shouted.  
"Hey!" Dad yelled, looking at Carney in the rear-view mirror, "I told her to wake you up. We're going to be at the hotel in a few minutes."  
Carney crossed his arms and closed his eyes. I turned around to face forward in my seat again. I knew what was coming. The minute Dad noticed that Carney was going back to sleep, he'd dig into him. And sure enough...  
"Arney!" Dad shouted.  
Carney slammed his fists onto the bench seat in the back and pushed himself up. I stifled a laugh and a smile as I wondered how a twenty-seven year old could behave so childishly. Luckily, just a few minutes later, we pulled into the Travelodge parking lot and almost immediately jumped out of the car. We all stretched our limbs as much as we could, hearing and feeling several things popping and cracking, then proceeded to empty out the trunk.  
After getting our room keys, dropping our suitcases off and eating breakfast, we all went back up to our room. Dad and Carney shared one bed, while I had the other all to myself. Dad had given me some Melatonin tablets and told me to try to get some sleep. I'd already been two days without it. The problem was that even with Melatonin, I woke up every hour after seeing flashes of Mom again. And him. That horrible, ugly beast. The vampire who killed her.  
At some point, Carney ended up passing out next to me. He's a light sleeper, so every time I startled awake, so did he. And every time that happened, he asked me if I was okay. This went on until Dad finally decided I should get up. When I looked at the clock, it read 12:42 p.m. I'd only been asleep for about five hours, give or take.  
"Did you get a-hold of Bobby?" Carney asked Dad.  
"Yes, I did," he said, "He told me he hasn't seen or heard anything, but he knows some people who might be able to help us out."  
"So, when do we meet them?" I asked, butting in.  
"On Tuesday," Dad said, "Some of them are on the job right now and can't be reached. But he said last time he spoke with them, they were getting ready to close up their cases."  
Tuesday was just two days away. I assumed that until then, we'd be doing nothing but keeping our eyes and ears open. I gave Carney my apparently all-too-familiar "bored bitch face," as he so lovingly put it. He raised his eyebrows and smiled at me.  
"Well, Dad, what do you want to do until then?" he asked sarcastically.  
Dad exhaled loudly and said, "We're not here to mess around. We're here to kill that damned vampire, end of story."  
"That's a nice story," I retorted, trying - and failing - to mimic Dad's thick Irish accent.  
"Zylphia, please," he said, "I'm not in the mood."  
"But Dad," I started, "He said not till Tuesday. Just keep your phone on you and make sure you don't have it on silent. I don't want to be stuck in here for two days with nothing to do."  
Dad rubbed his hands over his eyes and down his face before looking at Carney and me. He exhaled again before saying, "Alright, fine. We can do something tomorrow night. But today and especially Tuesday - no goofing around."  
The rest of the day dragged by so slowly that I thought about giving myself a lobotomy.

The next day, Dad and Carney didn't bother waking me up until 11:00 a.m. One of them must have noticed that I was up late again. They told me that Bobby had called again to let us know that one friend of his had finished up the case she'd been working on. Now, we just had to wait for the other two. Apparently they were brothers. They were cleaning up after a Shifter who'd gone berserk - more so than they usually do - somewhere near Las Vegas. Bobby said he'd send the other Hunter, Audrey our way. Luckily, she was closer by than the boys.  
"Bobby said she could be here later tonight," Dad said.  
"Is Bobby going to be coming?" I asked.  
"No, he has to stay home in case we need to use one of our aliases. Which we will," he said.  
"Well, we'll have to drive out to see him before we head home, then," Carney said.  
And with that, we all tried to come up with something to do before Audrey arrived. After quite a bit of arguing and shouting on Dad and Carney's parts, we decided on dinner at Sayler's Old Country Kitchen and bowling at Mt. Hood Lanes.

At 10:30 p.m., Audrey showed up. She told us that she'd very recently been in contact with the Winchesters - the two brothers Bobby had mentioned - and said that they were already on their way. They'd be in Portland by about 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. And, unfortunately, Audrey and I had to end up sharing a bed because there weren't going to be any available rooms until tomorrow morning. She reassured me that she'd book one for herself and another for the boys first thing. And with that, we all tried to get some sleep.


	2. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (After that boring intro)  
> Zylphia, Aengus and Carney meet the boys at a bar. What will the boys' first impressions about the Byrne family be and vice versa?

~Then~

Zylphia-

At 4:00 p.m. the next day, Audrey received a phone call.

"It's the boys," she said, looking at Dad. After a few placed "uh-huhs" and "okays," she looked at Dad again and said, "Would you be okay with meeting them at Saint Paddy's?"

Dad nodded, then, upon seeing my confusion, he told me that Saint Paddy's was a bar. Dad, Carney and I waited another minute until Audrey hung up the phone.

"They said they'll be at Saint Paddy's in about half an hour," Audrey said, "So we should leave in about ten minutes."

And we did just that - and twenty minutes later, we were parked outside of Saint Paddy's Bar and Grill. I followed behind Dad, Carney and Audrey as they made their way into the bar and to a booth. And there sat two men who I assumed were somewhere around thirty. They gave Audrey a halfhearted smile, then turned their attention to us. Judging by their facial expressions and the wariness in their eyes, they had some serious trust issues...

 

Dean-

I looked from Audrey's tired eyes to the three people following her. A guy about my height, but who had about 100 pounds - of muscle - on me. He looked to be in his mid-to-late fifties. He was big and burly, with a tuft of auburn hair and green eyes. Your cliche Irishman. And judging by looks alone, the younger man who stood next to him was his son. He was a bit taller than his dad, but he, too, was a burly guy. He had the same auburn hair and green eyes. And standing just behind the two of them was someone who looked too delicate to be a Hunter - let alone related to these two. She couldn't have been more than 5' 5" and 130 pounds. She had very clean, fair skin, unlike her father and brother, who were farmer-tanned and soot-stained. She had long, kinky-curly auburn hair, but instead of the same green eyes that her father and brother shared, she had dark chocolate eyes.

Just as Audrey was about to introduce us, I took a step forward and extended my hand. "I'm Dean. This is my brother, Sam."

The older man stepped forward and shook my hand firmly. "I'm Aengus. This is my son, Carney, and my daughter, Zylphia."

I received a curt nod from Carney and a guarded smile from Zylphia. Aengus didn't bother with any of that. At least, not that I noticed - my eyes couldn't help but linger on Zylphia a few extra seconds. I gestured for them to take a seat and smirked back at Zylphia. And almost immediately, a waiter came up to the table, asking us if he could get us anything.

"I'll have a bottle of Corona del Sol and a bacon cheeseburger deluxe," I say.

"I'll have a Corona del Sol, too, and a House Salad," Sam said.

Audrey and Aengus asked for ice water. Carney ordered an ice water and House Salad, but Zylphia truly surprised me - a bacon cheeseburger deluxe and a glass of Pink Moscato. She looked too fit to be indulging in the same delicious crap I'd eat. But, she was pickier than I was - no onions and no pickles.

"So, Bobby told us that you guys are hunting a vampire," Sam said, finally breaking the intense silence, "But he wouldn't tell us why you'd fly all the way out here from Ireland to kill it, instead of just letting him know so he could let someone else know."

"He didn't tell you why because I asked him not to," Aengus said flatly. He just sat there glaring at Sam.

"Well," I started, "Now that we've all met, would you mind telling us?"

"Maybe," Carney said, "Once we trust you."

 

Sam-

Man - I thought Dean and I had trust issues. I was 100-percent positive that these three had us beat. But if I had to guess, I'd have guessed that Zylphia was the least trusting of the three; she hadn't said a single word to Dean or I. She'd been studying us.

"Well, then-" Dean said, "We'll still help you, but only 'cause Bobby vouched for you guys."

"Fair enough," Aengus said. "So this is where we are with all of this now." Aengus went on to say that his vampire was last seen at a Plaid Pantry on Southeast Powell Boulevard. That's about a fifteen minute drive from here. He said that after making that little pit stop - and grabbing the clerk - the vampire seemed to just vanish into thin air.

"So, what?" I started, "Do you think that there's a nest somewhere around there?"

"Well, there must be one somewhere nearby," Aengus said. "Where else would he be able to hide the clerk?"

I briefly tilted my head and raised my eyebrows. He had a point. Not a lot of places you could hide someone in a crowded place like this - and yet, no shortage either. So, a lot of our time would be spent just trying to find the nest. We talked more about who we were going to question and what places we were going to check out while we ate. I stole a few glances of Zylphia on and off, wondering what Dean's and my chances might be if we were to ask her why they want to kill this vampire so badly. It was obvious that it must have killed someone close to them, but the way they were being so cryptic made it difficult to figure out who.

Maybe her mother? Another sibling? An old family friend? We'd just have to wait and see...

 

Zylphia-

Absolutely adorable. They were curious about us. No doubt wondering who the person we lost was to us. At the time, I wondered if Dad or Carney would ever actually tell them. But, instead of butting in, I decided to sit quietly while Dad went over the details with them. I wasn't even supposed to be there.

Until Carney had called me about Mom, I had been finishing up my sixth year of college. Luckily, I still technically graduated. I'd earned my Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. I'd planned on being an author, but once I found out about Mom, I put all of that on hold.

As Dad finished sharing all the information we had on the vampire, I noticed that Sam and Dean had both been glancing in my direction. So, in order to find out what exactly they were thinking, I decided to Listen. I focused on Sam first - he was wondering what his and Dean's chances were of getting more information from me. Then, I focused on Dean. Let's just say - he was curious about my measurements. I found it very difficult not to roll my eyes.

The guys and I each had two more drinks before we all decided to call it a night. But, then I realized - both of the boys had been drinking.

"Uh - how are you guys getting back to the hotel?" I asked.

They both seemed stunned at the fact that I'd finally spoken to them directly.

"Uhh - I was planning on driving," Dean said with a small smirk.

"Oh, well, I was just asking 'cause you've both been drinking, so -" I trailed off, raised my eyebrows and pressed my lips together.

"Don't worry," Sam said, "It takes a lot more than a few beers to get us drunk."

So, Audrey followed us in her car and the boys followed her in their car. It wasn't until we got back to the hotel that I noticed what a beautiful car it was.

"Hey," I said, looking at Dean, "Is that a '67 Impala?"

Now Dean was smiling. "Yeah. You familiar with cars?"

I returned the smile and said, "Only my favorites. Impala, Rolls Royce, Mustang and Chevelle SS. And only through the '70s models."

"Only the classics, huh?" Dean asked.

I nodded. Dean, still smiling, gave me an obvious once-over. I decided that Listening wasn't in my best interest at that moment. When I looked over at Sam, he too seemed impressed. I raised my eyebrows at him expectantly.

"Uh, I just - don't know a lot of people who know anything about cars," he said, "Especially not girls."

My brother stepped up beside me and slung an arm over my shoulders and said, "Yeah, well, she's not like most girls. Thank God."

I patted his shoulder as he led me back inside the hotel. Most people would probably see that as a cute brother-sister bonding moment, but I knew he was just trying to get me away from the guys. Or to keep the guys away from me. Either way, I thought it was sweet. We said goodnight to Audrey and the boys, then we all headed to our rooms to try to get some sleep. I had a feeling that we had one hell of a challenge ahead of us...


	3. A New Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three days after meeting the boys and three days of researching, they find the Plaid Pantry clerk's girlfriend. Zylphia and Carney are sent to question the clerk's girlfriend by their father, but when things go south, Cas appears and protects them.

~Then~

Dean-

Wow. Zylphia's got brains and beauty. She was able to get her hands on the surveillance tapes from Plaid Pantry before any of the rest of us were even up the other day. Not only that, but she had watched it, then showed the rest of us something very interesting. Seemed like the clerk and their vampire already knew each other.

"What time did you wake up?" I'd asked.

"I got up at five," she said.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I don't know anyone who wakes up that early. Not even Bobby. So, I had to ask, "Why?"

She let out a small, breathy laugh and said, "I didn't really plan on it. It just happened. And since I couldn't go back to sleep, I Googled what time that particular Plaid Pantry opened and headed right over once it was."

"Not everyone's as lazy as you, Dean," Sam said, smirking.

Just as I was about to say something, Zylphia's father called her over. He spoke with her and Carney for a few minutes before they each grabbed something and headed for the door.

"Where are you two going?" I asked.

"To question the clerk's girlfriend," Carney answered.

"Her name is Sarah Reed, dummy," Zylphia said, looking at her brother. "Try to remember that, otherwise she won't believe we're cops."

Carney rolled his eyes and swung the door open. Zylphia gave us all a smile and followed after her brother.

 

Zylphia-

Carney and I arrived at Ms. Reed's apartment thirty minutes later. Carney knocked on the door, but when she answered, as each of us flashed our fake credentials, I said, "Sarah Reed?"

The young woman nodded.

"I'm Rachel Blake. This is my brother, Carl. We're with the Portland Police Department. We're here to ask you some questions about your boyfriend, Henry Sanchez."

"Oh, well, I already spoke with the police," she said.

"Yes, we know," Carney started, "We hate to bother you again - especially so soon - but we just needed to follow up on a few things. You know, make sure we have all of our facts straight."

She glanced from Carney to me and back before stepping to the side and inviting us in.

"So, what exactly do you need to follow up on?" she asked.

"Well, how long have you been dating Henry?" Carney asked.

"Almost two years," she said.

"Okay. And in that time, has he ever acted - strange or out of character? Especially recently?" he asked.

"Uhh - well, about six months ago, he started becoming very reclusive," she started, "He switched his shifts from daytime hours to the night shift; he said that his eyes were to sensitive to the light."

Carney paused his note-taking and looked up at Sarah. She had paused, too, and was twiddling her thumbs.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Well - about a month ago, he started asking me about my opinions on monsters. But, he really seemed fixated on vampires for some reason," she explained.

"Vampires?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. I decided that I'd start Listening.

"Yeah, but I don't why he was suddenly so interested in monsters," she said.

I knew she was lying right away. Sure, out loud she claimed not to know why he was so interested in them, but in her head, she told me all that we needed to know. He told her that he was a vampire. He showed her. That's when I decided to pull out the photo of our vampire.

"Well, anyways, we were also wondering if you know this man," I said, handing her the photo.

She glanced down at it, and I instantly got his name: Elijah.

"No," she lied, shaking her head. "Sorry."

She handed the photo back to me just as my brother stood up. He knew what I was doing. Now it was time to push her.

Still looking down at the photo, I asked, "Why are you lying to me, Sarah?"

"Excuse me?" she asked.

I looked up at her again and said, "I know you're lying. Who is he-" I asked, pointing at the picture, "and where did he take your boyfriend?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not lying!" she said, raising her voice.

Then I had an idea. I pushed the edge of the photo down on my skin a bit and dragged it across my finger. A small line of blood began to wrap around my finger - and that's when it happened. Her fangs appeared.

"Really?" I asked sarcastically.

Just as Carney was about to grab his carefully hidden machete to hack her head off, she shoved him so hard that he almost literally flew into the wall. She lunged at me, but I ducked past her, giving me enough time to pull my dagger. When she lunged at me again, I sank the dagger into her upper gums - she let out a howling scream as she pulled it loose and tossed it to the floor. I picked it up again, Carney at my side, just as she lunged a third time. She grabbed Carney's wrist and twisted it; we all heard the sickening cracking. He yelped and dropped his machete and she whipped it away from us. I instantly made a dive for it, but she made a dive for me and pinned me to the floor. Just as she was about to bite me, there was a sudden, booming crack and some man in a trench coat pulled her off of me. So forcefully that she practically went through the wall. He grabbed the machete and lopped her head off.

Carney was next to me in a flash, asking me if she'd bitten me.

"No, I'm fine," I said, never taking my eyes off of the stranger.

He turned and looked right at me. "Are you positive?"

I furrowed my eyebrows at his question, but said, "Yes, I'm fine. He's not." I looked down at my brother's wrist and raised my eyebrows for emphasis.

The man in the trench coat set the machete down and walked over to the two of us. He extended his hand to me and helped me up, then did the same for Carney. Then, Carney shouted in pain again.

"Are you okay?" I asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He stared down at his injured wrist and moved it around. He looked up at me, then at the man. "What did you do?"

"I healed you," the man said.

Carney stared at him wide-eyed and asked, "How?"

The man opened his mouth to say something, but hesitated. "Maybe we should wait on introductions. At least until we meet back up with the Winchesters."

"You know the Winchesters?" Carney asked.

"It's a long story," the man said, heading for the door.

Carney and I exchanged a cautious glance, then he grabbed his machete, I grabbed my dagger and we all left. Needless to say, Carney and I were keeping an eye on this guy. Where had he come from, anyway?

 

Sam-

A little over an hour later, Carney and Zylphia walked back through the door. But we didn't expect Cas to follow them in. Dean and I immediately jumped out of our seats.

"Okay," Carney started, "We're back with the Winchesters. Now who the hell are you?"

Cas stared at Carney for a few seconds before glancing over at Dean and I. He looked over at Audrey, Aengus and, finally, at Zylphia before saying, "I'm Castiel. I'm an angel of the Lord."

Zylphia slightly raised an eyebrow, but Aengus said, "'An angel of the Lord?' Really?"

I could tell he was being condescending. But could I really blame him? Who would just automatically believe that a person claiming to be an angel actually was without questioning it?

"Can you prove it?" Aengus asked.

"I already have," Cas said.

"You did? How?" Aengus asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

Cas looked at Carney expectantly.

"He - healed my wrist," Carney said slowly.

"What?" Aengus asked.

"Zylphia figured out that that girl was lying and that she was a vampire, too. Then she attacked us and broke my wrist," Carney explained, "He healed it."

Carney seemed to grow paler, Zylphia was still looking skeptical and Aengus narrowed his eyes.

"What?" Dean said suddenly, "You guys don't believe in angels or somethin'?"

"No, we definitely do," Zylphia finally spoke. "We just have a hard time believing anyone who claims to be one. Even if he did heal my brother's wrist."

Cas suddenly furrowed his eyebrows at Zylphia, then turned to Dean and I and said, "I can't read her thoughts."

"What?" Zylphia asked, turning her head to look at him again.

We all just stood there for a minute in awkward silence, but I finally said, "He's usually able to hear what other people are thinking. I'm guessing - in this case - he was only trying in order to convince you."

"Well, if that's the case," Aengus started, "Read my thoughts."

He smirked at Cas right before Cas said, "You think that I'm either crazy or that I'm lying."

Aengus' smirk vanished immediately. He looked over at Zylphia, who looked from him to Cas. There was something in both her expression and her father's that said that they were both shocked and - worried? Maybe even scared?

"Okay," Aengus started, "If you really are an angel, what are you doing here?"

"Normally I just help Dean and Sam on hunts," Cas said, "But I've been given a special task."

"What special task?" I asked.

"I've been assigned as Zylphia's guardian angel," Cas said, looking right at her again.

She just raised her eyebrows at him again. "My guardian angel?" she asked.

"Yes," Cas said, "That's why I protected you from that vampire."

 

Zylphia-

An angel? Who was assigned to "guard me?" Even though he'd healed my brother and read my father's mind, I still had my doubts. I could read people's minds and I wasn't an angel.

Castiel looked down at me and said, "I think you and I should speak in private."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I was told it's not something you want everyone here to know," he said matter-of-factly.

"Okay," I said, opening the door and stepping out into the hall. I looked back at him and said, "Come on, then."

He followed me all the way out to the parking lot. Both public and private - better safe than sorry.

"I know about your powers," he said. "I know you can read people's minds and that you're typically stronger and faster than the average human."

I stood there, frozen on the spot. "Well - did you know that I can also travel anywhere through-"

"Teleportation?" he asked, cutting me off. "Yes, I know about that, too."

I clenched my jaw and swallowed hard. He must have noticed my unease because he quickly added that he wouldn't tell anyone without my permission. It honestly didn't do too much to help.

And just like that, my life became more complicated...


	4. Making a Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Cas has been assigned as Zylphia's guardian angel, her hunting activities are being somewhat restricted.  
> What's she going to do to change that? Especially now that they're closing in on their vampire...

~Then~

Zylphia-

I sat in a chair around the table in our hotel room. Somehow, the seven of us had managed to sneak five extra chairs in there. Dad was telling the others something about the layout of the vampires' hideout - and how there were about fifteen to twenty vampires in there, give or take. I, however, couldn't focus. I'd been without sleep for another two days. I was resting my head in the palm of my hand, spacing out when someone finally snapped me out of it.

"Zee?" I heard Carney say.

I snapped my head up and in his direction. "What?"

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I said, "So, with all of these other vampires around, how do we ensure we get ours?"

Normally, Dad would've gotten on me for not paying attention, but he knew that ever since Mom had died I'd been having trouble sleeping - and in turn, trouble focusing. So, he took a deep breath, looked directly at me and said, "Carney and I are going to take the first floor. Odds are, most of them will be down there because that's their - lounging area. While we take care of whoever's down there, you, Audrey, Sam and Dean are going to push through to the second floor. Sam and Dean will handle whoever's there and you and Audrey will take the third floor."

Just as Dad was about to continue, Cas spoke up.

"No," he said, "Zylphia should stay here. She'll be safe."

I furrowed my eyebrows and said, "Well, so would everyone else, but they're not staying so - neither am I."

Cas seemed to hesitate for a second before saying, "You weren't raised as a Hunter. You were only raised by them."

"Yeah," I said, raising my voice a little, "But just because I'm technically not a Hunter, you think that my parents didn't teach me everything I needed to know? I know how to kill vampires - among other things. I can take care of myself."

Audrey, Cas, Dean and Sam all seemed a bit surprised. Whether it was about the fact that I technically wasn't a Hunter, or the fact that I was getting so bitchy with someone who was just trying to keep me safe, I didn't know. Maybe it was both?

"It's my job to protect you," Cas said, sounding a bit more stern.

"And it's my job to protect the people I care about," I retorted.

That time, he just stared at me.

"So, the way I see it, you have two options," I said, punching the 'you.' "You can either stay here by yourself, or you can come along and still do your job."

 

Dean-

Damn! Zylphia could be harsh. Who woulda thunk it? I honestly didn't know why she was suddenly getting so snippy. She'd been pleasant enough over the last five days. But I guess she did seem a little zoned out the last couple of days. Maybe tired from all the research she, Sam and Audrey had been doing?

"Zylphia," I interrupted, "No one's gonna make you stay here, but he is just trying to do his job."

For a second, it seemed like she was baring her teeth, then she said, "I never said he couldn't do his job. I just don't like it when people try to tell me what to do. I'm not staying here - end of story. So, when are we going to do this?"

She looked over at her father, so I decided to just keep my mouth shut.

"Tomorrow night," he said, addressing the whole room. Then, he looked directly at Zylphia before saying, "That way, we're all well rested - and ready for a fight."

The way he emphasized 'well rested' had me wondering: was she not sleeping well or something? Was that why she was so pissy?

I saw her glance over at the clock on one of the bedside tables. It was already 11:43 p.m. Sam, Audrey and I stood up and said goodnight. It wasn't until Sam and I were standing in the doorway that I realized Cas wasn't following us.

"Uhh - Cas?" I said. He looked over at me and raised his eyebrows slightly. "You comin'?"

"Oh," he said quietly, "Yes. Goodnight."

He stood up and walked out the door with Sam and I. We headed into our room and the second my head hit the pillows, I was out like a light.

 

Sam-

Of course Dean would fall asleep, no problem. I mean - what was up with Zylphia? She had seemed somewhat out of it the last couple of days, but that night, she was downright hostile. I actually felt kind of bad for Cas. But he surprised me a little bit, too. I'd seen him get tough with people before, but they were either bad people, monsters, or he'd at least known them for a while. He'd only known Zylphia for two days and he had already gotten stern with her.

I mean, I could relate to her whole "not wanting people to tell her what to do" thing, but Cas really was just trying to keep her safe. And was I the only one who still thought that him being assigned as her guardian angel was weird?

"No, you're not the only one," Cas said. "She, her father and her brother still think it's weird. Dean does too, but he's just choosing to ignore it right now."

"Please stop doing that, Cas," I said.

"Sorry." I'd noticed him glance at the door a couple of times since we'd gotten back to our room.

"Cas?" I said, "Everything okay?"

He looked back at me and said, "Yes, everything's fine. Why?"

I hesitated for a minute before saying, "It's nothing." I didn't know exactly how to explain what I was pretty sure I was seeing. I mean, irritated didn't seem like the right word. Angry and upset didn't seem right, either.

"You should get some rest," Cas said, "You'll need to be ready for tomorrow night."

"Right," I muttered. "Night, Cas."

"Goodnight," he said.

 

Cas-

I knew that Aengus would've given Zylphia Melatonin to help her sleep that night. She'd already been two days without it and I knew that that was the reason she'd snapped at me. So, I decided to wait until I knew Dean and Sam were both asleep before going back upstairs to the next floor. I waited outside of the Byrnes' room until I knew they were all asleep, too. I'd gotten the distinct feeling that Aengus and Carney wouldn't have liked me being in there, but I needed to do my job and keep an eye on Zylphia.

When I did enter their room, I pulled a chair across the room to Zylphia's bedside. When I sat down, I looked at her and wondered why God had chosen to give her - out of everyone else on the planet - powers that most humans could only dream of possessing. But, according to my superiors, I'd understand eventually. I didn't need to question it, though. She'd been blessed with those powers and, from what I'd heard, she'd always tried to use them to help others. That alone made her more admirable than a lot of other humans.

Since she was asleep, I figured I could try reading her mind again. Luckily, Dean had told me that if I stumbled upon anything that might be considered inappropriate or embarrassing that I should just keep it to myself.

I focused on her and to my surprise, it worked. But when I heard and saw what she was dreaming of, I couldn't help but feel kind of bad about it. She was dreaming about her mother. It was really more of a memory. Zylphia was twelve and just learning Krav Maga. She'd started to become discouraged because she thought she wasn't doing any better or getting any stronger. So, her mother told her something I'd heard from many humans: practice makes perfect. Then, her brother appeared in a doorway and said, "So suck it up!" and ran off laughing.

I decided to stop there. I was glad that she was at least having a nice dream that night. I'd been told that she'd been having nightmares most nights since her mother had died. If and when that happened in the future, I could stop it and turn it into something calming for her. For the rest of that night, I just sat there and watched over her as she slept...


	5. Bad Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Byrnes, Winchesters, Audrey and Cas head out to the vampire nest - but will they be able to get their hands on their vampire, Elijah?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is a reference to Alison Mosshart & Eric Arjes' "Bad Blood."

~Earlier this evening~

 

Zylphia-

Dad, Carney, Castiel and the rest let me sleep in until nearly three o'clock in the afternoon. The only thing that made me feel better was when Castiel told me that Dean had woken up only fifteen minutes before me. Pretty much from the minute I got out of bed, I was preparing for tonight. Dad made me sit down and eat; Carney made sure I drank some water; Sam and Dean were trying - and failing - to subtly tell me how to handle vampires; and Castiel and Audrey pretty much kept to themselves.

Dad handed me a machete and asked, "How're you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Dad," I said, sheathing the machete.

"You sure?" he asked, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

I sighed. "Dad, I've killed vampires before. Just because I'm not technically a Hunter-"

"I know," he said, holding his hands up, "It doesn't mean you can't take care of yourself."

I smiled at his dorky gesture. I could understand the whole "protective dad" thing, but he should've known better than anyone that I could take care of myself. After all, he and Mom were the ones who trained Carney and I.

After we were all ready, we headed out to the vampires' nest. I was still surprised that Dad said that there were fifteen to twenty of them; they usually stay in groups of ten or less. They must have been running out of places to hide.

When we got there, we all saw right away that Dad had been right - it looked like there were at least six vampires on the first floor. Worst-case scenario, that left fourteen others spread out throughout the second and third floors. Best-case scenario, just nine.

Dad knew we'd have to lure at least a few out first, that way the others might follow and, if we were very lucky, we wouldn't have to go into the building at all. So, he and Carney sneaked over to the cellar where the vampires had been keeping their victims and started helping them out, but what happened next, I was not okay with. Dad flashed his flashlight right in the window to get the vampires' attention, and the minute they saw the people from the cellar running away, several of the vampires came rushing out to stop them. All six vampires we'd already seen along with three others. Four of them went just to the left of the building - these were the ones that Audrey, Carney and I went after - and five went off to the right of the building, which Dad and the Winchesters handled. Though we'd taken care of those nine, it still got some of those people killed. My Dad quickly entered the building and waved the rest of us inside.

It wasn't until we were inside that I realized that Castiel hadn't shown up.

Dad and Carney led the rest of us to a staircase and we headed up. The Winchesters were walking just ahead of Audrey and I and almost immediately, we were all jumped. We managed to decapitate three more - much bigger - vampires before getting to the next staircase. I still hadn't seen our vampire yet. He must have been on the third floor that whole time.

Audrey and I slowly and carefully made our way up the staircase until we reached the top. It seemed completely abandoned. We busted doors open to find them empty, aside from furniture. We'd checked almost every room by the time the others joined us, out of breath and splattered with blood. Just as I was getting ready kick another door down, we were all either thrown into the walls or knocked flat on our asses. Four vampires - very, very large male vampires - stood before us and, standing just behind them was our vampire, Elijah. However, it took me a minute to realize who Elijah was keeping in a choke-hold.

"Let go of my son!" Dad snarled at the vampire.

Elijah smiled maniacally and said, "Thought that was you, Aengus."

"I said let go of him!" Dad yelled.

One of the larger vampires rushed forward and just before he reached us, Castiel appeared out of nowhere and - well, truth be told, I'm not sure what exactly he did, but he managed to kill the vampire.

"Did you tell them yet, Aengus?" Elijah snapped.

I looked from Elijah to my father. How did Elijah know my father's name? Dad just glared at him.

Elijah tsked a few times before saying, "Well, no better time than the present. Why not tell Arney and Zee now?"

That really threw me off. Not only was this vampire talking like he knew all of us, but he also knew that our family nicknamed my brother Arney and they'd nicknamed me Zee. I looked back at Dad again.

"What's he talking about?" I heard Dean ask from my right.

Dad took in a deep, sharp breath and looked down at the floor before asking, "You kids remember how your mother's brother had gone missing just a couple of years before Zee was born?"

Neither of us answered.

Dad glared back up at Elijah and said, "Remember his name? We always called him 'Uncle Eli?' He showed back up just after Carney's seventh birthday and - he was a vampire."

I felt like all of the air had leaked from my lungs. This vampire - this thing - was blood?

"When your mother found out, instead of killing him like she should've, she let him go. Of course, there were conditions - the most important being that he never came anywhere near our family." Dad looked from Carney, to me and back. "And that's why he killed your mother. His own sister."

"She wasn't my sister anymore," Elijah said. "The second she found out I was a vampire, she just sent me away. After disappearing for three years, I show back up and she just tosses me aside. Like I never meant anything to her? But I'll tell you what, Aengus - since you finally told them who I am, I'll let Arney go. But good luck handling those three."

The other three large vampires lunged at us; one threw Dean back several feet; another threw me into Carney; and the other was stabbed and decapitated by Dad and Audrey. I quickly jumped back to my feet and helped Carney up while Sam took a swing at one of the vampires with his machete.

"You two help him!" Dad shouted at us.

I threw my dagger at the vampire and it went right into the vampire's lower back. Sam stabbed it in the stomach and Carney took its head off. I looked over to my right and saw Dean ducking and dodging the last vampire. Just as I was about to rush over and help him, Castiel did to that vampire, what he'd done to the other vampire. When I turned my attention back to the spot where Elijah had been standing, he was gone.

After gathering all of our weapons, we all drove back to the hotel in complete silence. Why had Dad kept all of this from Carney and I?

As we all stepped out of Audrey's minivan, Sam asked, "So, what about your brother-in-law? Still planning on tracking him down?"

"Of course I am," Dad growled.

"Aengus," Castiel suddenly interrupted, "You have bigger things to worry about."

Dad just stood there for a second before saying, "Excuse me?"

"Carney," Castiel said, looking at him sorrowfully yet expectantly.

Carney looked like he was about to burst into tears. Castiel looked at Dad again and said, "When the two of you were killing vampires on the first floor, two of them jumped Carney. One of them force-fed him their blood."


	6. Breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's going to happen to Carney...?

~Now~

 

Zylphia-

I feel like someone just punched me in the stomach. Carney's a vampire? I look over at Dad and Carney first - Carney is crying now and Dad looks about ready to join him. I look over at the other four and see that they're all just as shocked as I am. Shocked and sympathetic.

"After they jumped him, they took off," Castiel says.

"If you saw that happening, why didn't you do anything to stop it?" Dad asks, sounding as if he's out of breath.

"I tried," Castiel starts, "but I had a few vampires of my own to kill. By the time I had, it was already too late."

"But you don't have to worry-"

"'Don't have to worry?' How's that?" Dad asks, cutting Dean off.

"There's a cure for vampirism. We've used it before," Sam says. "We just have to make sure he doesn't drink any human blood."

I catch my breath a bit and I look over at Sam and Dean. They can save Carney?

"And it worked?" Dad asks.

"Yeah. We used it on me," Dean says. "But, there is a catch - we need Elijah's blood to do it."

 

Sam-

The second Dean said we needed Elijah's blood, all hope faded from their faces. And even though Carney's the one who's been turned into a vampire, I'm worried about Zylphia the most. She hasn't said a word and she just looks so - helpless. I'm pretty sure I know what they're thinking. They know that if we don't catch Elijah very, very soon - which, to them, doesn't seem likely - one of us will have to kill Carney.

"Oh, God," Aengus practically whispers, "It took us a year to get to him." It took me a minute to realize that he's talking to himself.

"Dad," Carney says quietly. When his dad keeps whispering to himself, he speaks up, getting his dad's attention. "Dad! I know what we have to do," he takes a deep, shaky breath before saying, "It's okay."

Aengus just keeps repeating the same words: God. No. Please.

I look over at Zylphia again; she's still looks like she's staring off into space, but now her hands are shaking and she's crying. I don't know if she's even noticed.

 

Dean-

When I saw those hopeless looks on their faces, I knew exactly what they were thinking. There's no way we'd catch the son-of-a-bitch in time. One of us will have to kill Carney. He even said so. But seeing how his father is in such horrible shape over this - understandably, of course - it's obviously not going to be him. The second I look over at Zylphia, I almost wish I hadn't. She looks as though she's in too much pain to bear.

I don't look away from her until I hear Carney speak. "Would one of you be willing to-"

"No!" Aengus shouts, starting to cry.

"It can't be you," Carney says, "Not again."

Again? What does that mean?

"We'll figure something out," Aengus says.

"The police were never able to find him," Carney starts, "It took us a year to find him. Do you know of any vampire who's gone a year without feeding?"

Carney looks back over at his sister, then I do the same. She's finally looking right at Carney, shaking and crying. She'd been so quiet that I hadn't even noticed she'd started crying. Carney wraps his arms around her, but gently pushes her back a few moments later. I can overhear him saying something to her in another language, before he pulls her and their father into another brief hug. Then, he turns his attention to Audrey, Cas, Sam and I and just as I'm about to offer to do it, Audrey steps forward. She follows him into an alleyway just a couple of buildings away from the hotel. She comes back a few minutes later to ask Sam and I for help. She didn't say with what, specifically, but that was probably for Zylphia and Aengus' benefit - but the "what" was painfully obvious.

I turn back briefly to see Zylphia and Aengus slowly making their way back into the hotel. Cas starts to follow them, so I call out to him and tell him to let 'em go. They need to be alone for a while.

 

Zylphia-

I can't breathe...


	7. No Breaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How are Zylphia and Aengus handling things?

Cas-

Sam and Dean told me that I shouldn't bother Zylphia and Aengus right away. They didn't come out of their room for two days. Zylphia's the only one who's come out today.

"Zylphia," I call out to her.

She only slightly turns her head in my direction, so I appear in front of her - which seems to take her by surprise. When she looks up at me, I can't help but notice that her eyes are bloodshot and puffy. I know that means she's been crying. And I'm guessing she hasn't slept much - if at all - the last couple of nights.

I don't know what to say, so instead, I ask her where she's going.

"Store," she says, "My dad was up all night last night doing - something - and finished off what we had, so I need to get some groceries."

"Would you mind if I come along?" I ask as politely as I can.

She gives me a small smile and nods. "Sure, I could use some company."

"Well then," we hear from behind us, "Count me in." It's Sam. "Between Dean and I, our 'groceries' last about a day." He gives Zylphia a sympathetic smile, probably hoping to cheer her up.

"Okay," she says, giving him the same half-smile she gave me. "And Dean?"

"Uh - he was just going to hang out here with Audrey and your dad," Sam says, kneading his hands together. "Is your dad okay with having - visitors?"

"Yeah, just give Dean this," she says, handing her key card to Sam.

"Okay," he says, beginning to walk backwards, "I'll meet you guys out in the parking lot."

Zylphia and I walk out to the parking lot and I follow her over to her car. It had taken me a second before I realized that she wasn't following me to the Impala, so I had had to turn around. Sam ended up doing the same thing.

"You sure you don't mind taking your car?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, it's fine," she says. She gets in the car and unlocks the doors for us.

Unsure of whether she even wants one of us to sit up front with her, I sit in the backseat with Sam. She starts up the car and heads to the nearest grocery store.

 

Sam-

Even though Zylphia had kind of smiled earlier, I can tell she's really heartbroken. Before - Carney - she had no problem holding a conversation and was all smiles and laughs. I mean, after she got to know each of us a bit. Aside from that, her eyes were red and puffy, so she'd been crying. Understandable.

She pulls the car into a Wal-Mart parking lot and turns off the engine. I decide to try to get her talking.

"So, Zylphia," I say, "You know this area pretty well?"

After we get out of the car, she looks up at me and says, "Yeah. I was actually raised here."

I furrow my eyebrows and say, "I thought you're from Ireland?"

"Yeah," she says, "My dad was born and raised in Ireland. He came to America and met my mom. They got married and had Carney and I-" She pauses for a second before finishing up. "Then we all moved to Ireland when I was ten because of some family issues."

"Oh." That's all I can think to say.

*Meanwhile*

 

Dean-

I decided to hang back and keep Aengus company. More or less. He's not very talkative, he's been doing something on his laptop and he's had his headphones on the whole time. I'd been sitting in one of the extra chairs across the room for a while, but I finally decided to try to talk to him more.

"So," I start, walking towards him, "What're you doing?"

Smooth. I shake my head and take a seat next to him.

He just stares at me for a second before looking down at the keyboard and removing his headphones. "Before my wife was killed, she'd told the kids and I that if something ever happened to her, she wanted to have a Hunter's funeral. I said the same thing; and eventually, so did Carney. Zylphia was the only one who seemed to have a bit of a problem with not having actual funerals or, uh - Celebrations of Life for us. So, my wife came up with an interesting idea. We could all still have the funerals we wanted, but we each had to make a sort of 'playlist' that we could put on a CD." He takes a deep, shaky breath before continuing. "So, Carney took my wife's playlist and made three separate copies of it. Now, I'm taking Carney's and making two."

He immediately puts his headphones back on and starts typing away. I stand up and pat his shoulder once before taking my seat across the room again. A short time later, Zylphia, Cas and Sam walk back through the door. When I look over at Zylphia, I can tell she's exhausted. She's pale and she has dark circles under her eyes. When she looks over at me, I give her a sympathetic smile, which she returns with her own halfhearted smile.

Sam had told me before they left that he was going to see if he could get her to talk at all. I look over at him expectantly and raise my eyebrows at him. He gave me the all-too-familiar "No luck" look and sighed. I guess we'd have to try again tomorrow.

 

Zylphia-

I know why Dad was up all night, but I didn't feel like explaining that whole thing to Sam and Castiel. I really didn't feel like talking at all, or even like leaving the room, but I knew I had to. I knew Dad wouldn't budge until he finished making those CDs.

But, I suppose that keeping ourselves busy is what we do. We did the same thing after Mom was killed. Dad and Carney spent most of their time working - Dad trying to hunt down Elijah; Carney had his own garage - and I focused on finishing up my last two terms of school. We all pretty much found something - anything - to do throughout the entire day every day to take our minds off the worst of it. But eventually, even that stopped working for me.

And for the last two days, Dad and I have been doing pretty much the same thing. He started to try to think of places that Elijah might be hiding, then he jumped on Carney's playlist. I've been making our breakfasts, lunches and dinners; making sure Dad actually eats; and keeping our room clean.

Having the guys and Audrey over for a while is helping too. They've been doing most of the talking, though. I actually feel kind of bad; I know they're just trying to cheer us up, but it's only been two days. I don't think anyone cheers up that quickly.

Just as I think that, I hear Dean say, "I've gotta say, though, that you two are handling this far better than either of us ever have."

Dad and I both look up at him in surprise.

"What?" Dad asks.

"I just mean, we've lost a lot of people we care about and - though we've been able to 'avenge' them, we still did a lot of extremely stupid things in the process," Dean says.

"Like what?" I ask without thinking. "If you - don't mind my asking."

"Well," Sam says, "We've both sold our souls before."

That's not what I was expecting at all. "Wa- so you guys are-"

"No, no," Sam says, "Those contracts were already - fulfilled." He can probably tell I'm confused because he says, "It's a really long story."

"Oh." Just as I'm about to change the subject, Dad speaks up.

"We don't need to do anything like that," he says.

"Why's that?" Dean asks.

"Because they're Christians," Castiel says.

I look over at him, standing in a corner of the room almost right next to me. He'd been being so quiet that I'd almost forgotten he was here.

"So - what exactly does that mean?" Dean asks.

"We believe that if you're saved, your soul goes to Heaven when you pass away," Dad explains.

"And she is," Cas says. My eyes go wide and I'm openly staring at him now. "Your mother. She is in Heaven."

That does it. I can't help but smile - and apparently I can't help but walk right over to Castiel and hug him. It seems like it might have caught him slightly off guard because it takes him a few seconds before he hugs me back. I only hope he realizes how much better he just made me feel.


	8. Camping Trip?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In order to help take Zylphia's mind off of her recent loss, the boys ask for her help hunting a couple of werewolves, while Audrey and Cas stay and help Aengus check a few local places to see if they can locate Elijah.
> 
> When they reach the coast, Zylphia and the boys realize they're going to have to camp instead of stay in a hotel due to the fact that the werewolves live "out in the boonies."

~A few days later~

Dean-

I shove my only bag into the trunk of my car and slam it shut.

"Are you sure you don't mind helping us out with this?" I ask again.

She gives me a slight smile and raises her eyebrows. "For the third time, it's fine. I'm happy to help."

I believe that she doesn't mind helping us out, but I know that smile. It's the same kind of smile that Sam and I have mastered over the years. The kind that's meant to make others believe you're okay, when really, you just feel like screaming at the top of your lungs to let out all of that pent-up rage and heartbreak. She wanted to be distracted, and I guess that's what this hunt was going to be for her. Still a job, but a distraction nonetheless.

I look over at Sam just as he and Cas finish talking about - something - Zylphia walks over to Cas and starts to talk to him. I can't hear what she says to him, but Cas presses his lips together and one corner of his mouth pulls up. Then he does something I've never seen him do before; he takes one of her hands in both of his and a minute or so later, she pats his hand with her free one and walks back over to the car. I open the backdoor for her, she thanks me and slides in.

As I open the driver's side door, I look back over at Cas quizzically. He goes from a goofy-looking smile to confused in just a few seconds. I start the car and start to drive out of the parking lot.

 

Sam-

We all just sit silently for a bit, listening to the song that's quietly leaking through the speakers. I uncomfortably shift in my seat and scratch over one of my sideburns, then look in the passenger's side mirror to see what Zylphia's doing. She's just staring out the window. I glance over at Dean and am surprised to find him doing the same thing. Then he mouths, "Say something." I furrow my eyebrows and shrug slightly before asking a random question.

"Hey, Zylphia. Have you ever been visited the Newport area before?"

"Yeah. My family and I actually lived on the Oregon coast for a while before we moved to Dublin," she says. "Honestly never thought I'd be hunting a pack of werewolves out there."

"Well, luckily it's just a couple of 'em," Dean chimes in. "At least, as far as we know."

"But, uh - technically Siletz is about 20 minutes away from Newport. And since we're going through Corvallis, the Siletz and Toledo exits will be the first two we see." I look back at the mirror and see her smile. "I'll point it out when we get there."

I glance over at Dean and wait for him to look at me. When he does, I mouth, "She smiled." Dean and I both smile and I decide to keep trying to ask Zylphia more questions.

"So, how long did you guys live on the coast?"

She exhales loudly before saying, "We lived in Toledo till I was about five and then we moved to Portland and stayed there until we moved to Ireland."

"Oh, so you were born at the coast," I think aloud.

"Yep," she says quietly.

"So, does that mean you know where I could get a good burger?" Dean says, smiling and laughing.

"Actually, yes I do. Timbers," she says. "It was one of my mom's favorites. The 'family' restaurant is upstairs, but they also have a bar downstairs."

"Nice," Dean says, nodding. "That'll definitely have to be our first stop. Is it in Siletz, er-"

"No, it's in Toledo. Not far, though," she says.

 

~Two and a half hours later~

Zylphia-

Sam and Dean both asked a lot of questions during the drive down - do I remember anyone from the coast, what did I like to do as a kid, et cetera. But now that Dean's parking in front of Timbers, I know for a fact that we all just want to get out of the car. When we do, we all stretch for a minute, but the second we set foot in the restaurant, I head to the back to use the restroom. When I come back, Sam and Dean stop talking and give me odd smiles. I'm tempted to Listen, but I know that that would be an invasion of their privacy, so I push the urge away.

"Something wrong?" I ask.

"Maybe?" Dean says.

"We were looking over the maps we printed out of the general area where the werewolves are hiding out," Sam starts, "and - we just realized that they're pretty far out in the boonies. You know, like uhh - pretty far from any hotels or anything like that, so - it looks like we're going to have to buy some camping gear."

"Camping gear?" I ask. "You mean we're going to have to camp out on werewolf territory?" I look between the brothers, mouth slightly agape, eyebrows raised.

"Yeeah," Dean says. "So, each of us are going to have to keep watch in shifts."

"I'll take the first shift," I say.

"Well actually, I was going to take the first shift," Sam starts, "but you're more than welcome to take the second one." He smiles at me and I can't help but smile back.

"Alright, fine. I'll take the second shift," I say.

Just then, one of the waitresses comes over to take our orders. I go with my usual and, just as I was going to ask what their plan was as far as the case is concerned Dean speaks up.

"Oh my god," he says, "I just realized that we never asked you when your birthday is. We don't even know how old you are."

I take a breath, pause, then say, "Wow. That was random. My birthday's on December fourteenth. I'll be twenty-seven at the end of the year."

"Ah, so only eight months to go," Dean says, smiling like a dork.

"And what about you guys?" I say. "When are your birthdays?"

"Well, mine's January twenty-fourth," Dean says, "I'm thirty-eight."

"And mine is May second," Sam says, "I'll be thirty-four in just under a month."

I twiddle my thumbs for a few seconds before I say, "Carney was born on August eighteenth. He was going to be twenty-eight this year." I look up at them briefly, then back down at my hands and mumble an apology.

"You don't have to be sorry," Dean says.

"Yeah. If you need to talk-" Sam cuts off, but I understand what he's trying to say.

"Thanks guys," I say, swallowing the lump in my throat.

After we finish eating, I tell them that we'll have to drive out to Newport to get camping stuff. I told them we could either go to Freddy's or Wal-Mart. They chose Freddy's. So, they bought the tent, some camping chairs, their sleeping bags and a few drinks, and I bought my own sleeping bag, a pillow for each of us and stuff to make s'mores with. They each gave me a funny look when they saw the graham crackers, marshmallows and Hershey's bars in my cart and when they asked me why I was going to buy "that stuff," I turned on my (dorky) charm and said: "We're going camping and you don't expect me to buy stuff for s'mores? What's wrong with you two?"

They both laugh, we all pay, then we head out to Siletz. Even though I've never been much of a camper - actually, I kind of hate camping - I think that this might actually be kind of fun. Aside from the fact that it's also a job. I'm actually enjoy the Winchesters' company more than I thought I would.


	9. Truth, Dare or Kill?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It doesn't look like anyone is really tired, so to further ease some of the tension, the boys suggest playing a game. Zylphia suggests a special game of Truth or Dare. However, their game is cut short when they hear snarling (very) close by...

Sam-

After Dean and I finish setting up the very roomy tent, Zylphia tosses all of our sleeping bags and pillows inside. After that, she walks about ten feet away, gets down on her hands and knees and starts digging her fingers into the dirt in a big circle. Dean and I just stare at her for a few seconds before Dean asks her what she's doing.

"Making a little fire pit," she says. "Why don't you two make yourselves useful and gather some sticks and dead leaves?" She turns slightly to look over at us, a playful smirk on her face.

I look over at Dean who gives me his "why not?" face and we start gathering sticks and leaves. Once we have what's probably more than enough for one night, we go back to the tent. When we get there, Zylphia's made a mound and has surrounded it with small rocks. Guess she's finished making the fire pit. But I can't help but notice the tired, sad smile she gives us. I want to ask her what's wrong, but I'm afraid that doing so might upset her more.

"Okay, well, now you have all the stuff you need to make a fire - and you're s'mores. Happy?" Dean asks as if nothings wrong.

"Yep," she says, her smile lightening a bit. She gets up out of one of the camping chairs and pulls something out of her pocket - a string. Where'd she get that? She starts tying the ends of the sticks together, breaking them slightly so that they form a sort of pyramid. She places a few of the smaller sticks on the mound first, throws some of the leaves over them, then places the small pyramid around the small mound she'd made. She pats her pants pockets before saying, "Shoot. Any chance either of you have a lighter?"

Dean immediately pulls his lighter out of his pocket, flips it open and lights it. He squats down next to Zylphia and lights the fire. And just in time, too. It's almost eight o'clock and it's starting to get dark already.

 

Zylphia-

For a while, we all just sit and talk. Well, mostly they talk. But they must have noticed at some point that I was starting to space out. Maybe I was starting to look sad or something? 'Cause out of nowhere, Dean suggests we play a game.

"Like what?" Sam asks, giving his brother an odd look.

"I don't know. Make some suggestions," Dean says with a grin.

Just then, a game my brother and some friends of ours had introduced me to pops into my head. "I think I've got one."

"Yeah? What is it?" Dean asks.

"Well, basically it's just Truth or Dare, but anytime someone decides not to answer a question or not to do a dare, they have to take a shot," I explain.

They both give a slightly surprised but approving look and tell me to go ahead and ask one of them first.

"Okay," I say, trying to think of who and what to ask first. "Sam, truth or dare?"

"Um, truth," he says.

"What was your first impression of me?" I ask.

He raises his eyebrows slightly and glances over at Dean. I do the same when Sam furrows his eyebrows; Dean's chewing on his thumb, trying not to laugh. I turn my attention back to Sam and wait for his answer.

"Uh, well, no offense, but I thought you were either paranoid or - kind of shady," he says.

I laugh a little at his answer, which seems to ease the tension that had settled in his shoulders. He smiles awkwardly, then I tell him to take his turn.

"Okay, Dean. Truth or dare?" Sam asks, turning his head to sarcastically glare at his brother.

"I'll start with truth," Dean says, tilting his head to one side.

"Since you thought it was so funny, what was your first impression of Zylphia?" Sam asks.

"Uh, fairly similar to how you felt. I figured she didn't trust us, even though Bobby had vouched for us," Dean says. "But the way she was so quiet made her mysterious. And that just made her interesting." Dean smiles at me and waggles his eyebrows.

"My turn?" he asks, turning back to look at Sam. When Sam nods, Dean turns back to me with a smirk.

 

Dean-

"Zylphia, truth or dare?" I ask.

"Truth," she says immediately.

"What were your first impressions of us?" I ask.

"Well, you were right - I didn't trust you guys. But that's mostly because I don't trust anyone till I get to know them," she explains. "But don't worry, Sam. I'm only shady when I need to be." She smiles at him and lets out a quiet, breathy laugh.

We all go back and forth for a bit - she somehow managed to ask Sam and I both questions we didn't want to answer, so we already had one shot of whiskey each. Sam and I aren't as clever as she is when it comes to asking questions, but so far, we've learned that - among other things - her favorite color is purple because of what it's associated with; that she's a dog person; and that she does find Sam, Cas and I attractive. I'm actually surprised that she answered that question.

But when Zylphia chooses truth for about the twelfth time, I just have to ask. "Why do you keep choosing truth?"

"Because I'd rather say something embarrassing than do something embarrassing," she admits.

I raise my eyebrows and frown in understanding. "Well, you gotta pick dare at least once."

"Oh, really?" she asks, smirking and raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah," I say, smirking back at her. "In fact, I'm gonna keep this game going till you do."

Now she's looking at me like she's daring me to. And I'm going to. Not only that, but I quickly realize that Sam is on board.

The game goes on for another fifteen minutes before she finally caves. She just chose dare. Yes!

"Well, I'll keep it open-ended so you can decide on something," I say. I consider it for a moment, before saying, "I dare you to do something outside your comfort zone."

Sam and Zylphia both seem surprised and are quiet for a moment. Then, she looks down at the ground, raises her eyebrows and purses her lips. My god - that's so adorable that I can't help but smile and stifle a laugh. Then, she furrows her eyebrows and presses her lips together, before saying, "Good one."

After she sits for another minute or so, Sam says, "You don't have to. You can just take a shot."

She lets out a short, breathy laugh and says, "I've never taken a shot yet. I want to at least try to avoid it now." She sits for another few seconds before an awkward, yet shy smile spreads across her face. She looks between Sam and I, gets up out of her chair, and kisses Sam on the cheek. My eyes go wide and I start to feel slightly jealous, until she walks over to me and does the same thing.

Wow. I wasn't expecting that at all. And by the looks of it, neither was Sam. We're both sitting here, eyebrows raise, mouths slightly agape - but smiling - and, I'm sure we have the same look of pure surprise in our eyes. I don't think it's until Sam and I make eye contact that we snap out of it. Then, I don't know what it is - am I still surprised? Am I still kind of jealous? Am I - what am I?

"Well," Zylphia starts, "either Sam needs to take his turn, or I'm going to turn in a little early."

When I finally look at Zylphia, I can't help but notice the deep red blush that's painted her face. She's one of the more innocent twenty-six year olds I've met. I haven't seen a girl blush like that in years. And that includes embarrassed teenagers.

"Okay, uh-" Just as Sam starts to speak, we hear a very low, deep growl - which turns into a loud, vicious snarl. Then, out of nowhere, one of the werewolves lunges at us.

Sam is just able to dodge it and Zylphia fires a couple of shots from her pistol. The werewolf immediately slumps to the ground and doesn't move. I look back at Zylphia, both surprised and thankful.

She pulls a bullet out of her pocket and says, "Silver bullets."

I give her an approving nod, then turn my attention back to my surroundings. We hear some sort of cry, followed by another snarl. Then the other werewolf bounds out of the woods and tackles Zylphia, stopping just a few feet away from her before turning around. It's the female. Zylphia's gun was knocked a good five feet away from her. And just as the werewolf leaps at her, Sam and I both put it down. It falls on Zylphia's legs, but she crawls out from under it and lets Sam and I help her up.

"You okay?" Sam asks.

"Yeah," she says. "Thanks, guys."

It takes me a minute before I realize that I still have my arm wrapped around her waist and that Sam still has his arm wrapped around her shoulders. I glance over at Sam out of the corner of my eye and catch him doing the same thing.

Zylphia's quiet for a minute before she says, "Okay, why don't we take care of these guys." She steps towards the female werewolf and drags her body over to the male's. Sam and I go to the car and open the trunk to grab the shovels. When we're out of earshot, Sam speaks up.

"What was that?" he asks.

"What was what?" I ask somewhat defensively.

"First that dare and the look you were giving me afterwards. Then, holding onto Zylphia as if she were 'Hunter's Helper?'" he states, more than asks.

"First of all, I have no idea what you're talking about," I say - he scoffs. "Second of all - I could ask you the same question." I slam the trunk and tromp back over to Zylphia, handing her a shovel and a pair of gloves.

We dig a fairly deep grave and bury the bodies. When we're finished, Sam and I put the shovels - and the gloves - back into the trunk. Needless to say, neither of us really have anything to say to each other. We all sit around the fire a little while longer, making s'mores and small talk, before Zylphia decides to turn in. Later, when Sam and I go inside the tent to go to sleep, we find Zylphia fast asleep right in the middle of it. She's laying on her side, facing me, so I end up falling asleep thinking about how peaceful she looks.

Overall, not a bad camping experience...


	10. The Last of Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On their way back to Portland, Sam, Dean and Zylphia get a surprise visit from Cas - something's gone very wrong.

Zylphia-

I still can't believe that I kissed them last night. I mean, yeah, each one was just a peck on the cheek, but still. Of all the things he had to dare me to do. That's usually exactly why I avoid choosing dare - so that I don't have to kiss anyone or do anything else uncomfortable or embarrassing. But I was right. Even though I hate camping, this camping trip was actually kind of fun.

But now, I'm wondering what Dad, Castiel and Audrey were up to last night. No doubt Dad finished up the CDs. As far as anything else goes, I'd bet my money on Dad continuing his hunt for Elijah. I know that that's pretty much all that's been on his mind for the last year. Obviously, I understand why, but he and I both need to rest a bit. Maybe I'll be able to talk him into "taking a day off" or something? Just to make sure he doesn't keel over.

Since we're taking the Corvallis Exit, I tell them that they can stop at the Shell station to get gas. The minute we get there, I hop out of the car and tell the two of them that I'm going to use the restroom. When I come out of the bathroom, Sam's standing there waiting for me and Dean's at the counter, paying for the gas and some snacks.

"Did you want to grab something before we leave?" Sam asks.

I nod and look down a couple of aisles before grabbing a bag of Pepper Beef Jerky, a Hershey's bar and a bottle of Coke. When I go up to pay, Sam lays a bag of Munchies and a bottle of water next to my stuff and says, "I've got it."

I look up at him and see he's smiling. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I don't mind." The only time he looks away from me is when he pays the cashier and takes his change. When I laugh, he asks what's so funny.

"Nothing," I say. "I just didn't peg you as a Munchies guy."

He smiles and laughs, we grab our stuff and head back out to the car. It isn't until I'm already in the car that I realize that Castiel is sitting in the backseat. He gives me a troubled look. I look over at Dean and he looks both worried and pissed.

"What's wrong?" I ask, glancing between the two of them.

There's a stretch of silence before Castiel finally says, "It's your father and Audrey. Elijah has them."

I feel the color drain from my face and my eyes go wide. "Where?"

 

Cas-

I didn't need Dean, Sam or anyone else to tell me that she was terrified at the thought of her father being caught by Elijah. I'd been told that Zylphia's weak points were people - especially people she cares about.

"They're all back at that building. The one from the other night," I say. "Elijah said that if I showed up without you or tried to save Audrey and your father, he'd kill them."

Her expression went from terrified to one of rage and loathing. "How many vampires are there?"

"Twenty altogether, last I checked," I say.

She sits there for a minute, before throwing her stuff down on the backseat, throwing her backpack over her shoulder and walking away from the car. Sam, Dean and I all follow her, Dean and Sam asking her where she's going. She stops behind the convenient store and says, "To get my father back." Then, she disappears.

Dean and Sam are stunned for a minute before they start asking me questions, speaking over each other and following back to the car. I stop them and tell them that I need to go help her. "Just stay here and wait for us."

"What? No! If she really is going there, she needs our help," Dean says.

I look from him to Sam and back.

"Cas, there's no time to argue. She needs us," Sam says.

I look down and see that Sam has already grabbed a machete for himself and Dean. I sigh, defeated and touch their foreheads. In an instant, we're standing in front of the building in Portland. I immediately notice that the vampires who were outside guarding the building earlier are gone. We quickly, but carefully make our way over to one of the windows and try to peek through the gaps between the boards. The second we hear a scream, however, we bolt inside.

I don't know about Sam or Dean, but I'm absolutely shocked at the sight before me. On the first floor, there are at least five dead vampires; five more on the second floor; and another six on the third floor. And that's when we spot them. There's a door swung wide open at the end of the hall - Audrey tied to a chair, Aengus to another. Standing just in front of them is Elijah. And before his and our eyes, Zylphia is taking and giving a beating. Three large men are all swing simultaneously at her, but she's able to block most of their attempted attacks. That is, until one of them catches her with a blow to the temple and another with a knee to the stomach.

The third man lands a hit to her cheek so forcefully that I'm sure that her cheekbone will be broken, if not shattered. She falls to her hands and knees and, just as we reach the doorway, we hear a low rumbling sound. Almost as if there were some kind of large, angry animal here.

"Come on, Zee," Elijah says, "Show you're little friends what you really are. It's nothing to be ashamed of. It ran in the family!"

He's smirking down at her, but she hangs her head and - I assume - continues to stare at the floor. What did he mean by "what she really is?" What ran in their family? Just as I'm about to step forward and help her up, she looks in our direction and I can't help but freeze at what I see.

Her eyes have turned silver. Now I understand. I know what she is.

"Ooh," I hear Elijah's voice again. "Not even the angel knew? Wow, I've gotta give credit where credit's due, Zee. You are - CIA level secretive." 

The moment he starts laughing, Zylphia jumps up and rushes at him. One of the vampires swings at her again, but she quickly dodges him and takes his head off so quickly that my eyes are barely able to keep up. When I see the other two coming up behind her, I teleport myself between them and her and kill them. She starts swinging her machete at him with precise, practiced movements. She slices him once across the chest, before he sends her flying into a wall. I grab his shirt collar and punch him a few times right in the jaw as hard as I can.

He goes down on his hands and knees and starts laughing. Zylphia marches just in front of me and grabs Elijah's jaw, forcing him to look at her.

"What the hell are you laughing about?" she growls at him.

"I know that I'm not getting out of this building alive. Not this time," he starts, "but before I came back here, I visited with some of my - friends. I wanted to make sure that I could finish you Byrnes off." He starts laughing again, so she cuts his face with her silver dagger. "You have no idea what's coming. And now that your friends know that you're just another freak - well, I doubt they'll be willing to help you anymore."

Zylphia takes a step away from him, looks him in the eyes and decapitates him without hesitation. Her attention is stolen almost immediately by Sam and Dean untying her father and Audrey. And it isn't until now that I realize that Audrey and Aengus' mouths are stained with dried blood. Aengus stands up slowly, walks over to Zylphia and hugs her. I watch the two of them as Aengus speaks to her in what I'm almost positive is Irish Gaelic. I, myself, don't speak Irish Gaelic, so I go out into the hall and focus on what Audrey's telling the boys.

"He force-fed us his blood," she says, "and then he cut that mans wrist and made us drink from him. And then he just - killed him."

I look in the direction she pointed and see a man lying on the ground. Without even having to approach the body, I can tell he's dead. It was then that her words really hit me. She and Aengus drank human blood. They're vampires. Zylphia's father is a vampire. I rush back into the room and see Zylphia and her father hugging again. Then, her father gently pushes her away, the same way Carney had. Within a matter of a few days, Zylphia has lost her brother and her father. She's lost everyone. And it's my fault for not doing what I promised her I'd do.

Aengus looks at me and asks me to end it. He tries to tell Zylphia to leave, but to no avail. She absolutely refuses to leave. Eventually, he looks at me and nods. I place my hand on his head and try to make it as painless as possible. Afterward, I carefully approach her and try to speak to her, but she's in shock. I take her into another room and sit her down. I tell her that I'll be back in a few minutes and tell her to wait here. Then, I walk out into the hall where Sam and Dean are waiting.

This - all of this - is my fault...

 

Dean-

I look up just in time to see a worse for ware Cas heading our way.

"Do you know what she is, Cas?" I ask immediately.

He stands there quietly for a minute before explaining. "She's a descendant of a very ancient, increasingly rare race of supernatural beings known as the Macánta. I can tell you more about them later, but I have to take at least one of you back to get the Impala, then I need go back and make sure she's all right." He pauses for a second before asking, "Audrey?"

I nod. "I'll go back to the Impala, but - is she - dangerous?"

"Not to any of us," he says. "Only to people, animals or other supernaturals who threaten the people she cares about. The Macánta are very different from other supernaturals. But I'll explain all of that later - right now, I just need to take you back to your car."

He places his fingers on my forehead and zaps me back to the Shell station. I get in my car and start it up, but I just sit there for a minute. I just realized - Zylphia has no one left. What's she going to do now?

 

Sam-

Cas is only gone for about five seconds before he's rushing past me to check on Zylphia. I just stand in the hallway for a few minutes. I guess I'm kind of in shock, too. And to be honest, it's not just because we had to kill Audrey or even that Zylphia's some kind of 'super' supernatural - it's the fact that she's lost everyone. Her mother, her brother and her father. They're gone.

When the words "What's going to happen to her?" flood my mind, I shake my head slightly. When Dean gets back, he and I are going to have a talk.


End file.
